Alone on the Great Wall

by William Lindesay

Lindesay ran alone for more than 1,500 miles to conquer an ancient symbol of xenophobia--the Great Wall of China. This trip diary portrays his affinity for the Chinese people.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, China, History

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Englishman William Lindesay studied geography and geology at Liverpool University and in 1987 made what China's official Xinhua News Agency described as "the most successful foreign exploration of the Great Wall" in a 2,470 km solo adventure. Since 1994 he has primarily been engaged in systematic research of the Great Wall in the Beijing region and has organized two major "Great Wall Clean Ups".

--from the author's website

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this book. William and I worked together as geologists in the North Sea. A quietly spoken, genuine and friendly co-worker, slightly out of place on an offshore oil rig. We often spoke and I learned of his love of running. A few years later I saw his picture in an article in the Sunday Times colour supplement about his achievement of running the Great Wall of China, bloody hell I know him. Wow how amazing. A decade later I bumped into him at one of the London airports whilst waiting for a plane, as he was, he was accompanied by his young son. We spoke for a while catching up on our family lives.

Since then I’ve checked into see how his love of China and the Great Wall has matured to be given worldwide recognition of his achievements of educating people about the wall and more importantly how his conservation efforts are helping preserve the wall. Amazing achievements. On reading the book I’m not surprised that this quiet but determined man made it across China, befriending so many helpful people along the way. The challenge was very tough, mentally and physically but even tougher I think was sticking to the Great Wall and carrying out a selfless lifelong bond with the Wall that is resulting in it truly being recognised as perhaps THE wonder of the man made world and recognition of China’s contribution to world history.

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Persistence is the word that comes to mind as I read this work. A captivating read seasoned with historical information as well as possessing a narrative journal that keeps one 'on the road' with the author.
Read for personal research. I found this work of immense interest.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring..
Overall, this work is also a good resource for the researcher and enthusiast.

[Vince Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great for what it was, a memoir of William Lindesay's run from Jiayuguan to Shanhaiguan along the Great Wall of China.
As a runner and more importantly as someone who is a running spectator, this was awesome. This seems to still be the supported FKT (OKT?), although the end of the run got a bit sketchy.
One part that's interesting is: how on earth do you plan logistics for a 1500 mile run through a foreign country that has unknown infrastructure, a massive language barrier, and is closed to the West? He had a sponsor, but it wasn't Hoka, Salomon, or even some older outdoor brand (he did this run in 1988) like Columbia, it was Thomas Cook Traveller's Cheques Ltd. It was just such a different world at the time in running. Western States 100, the Wasatch 100, Leadville 100, these races were being ran at the time, but the running world was so vastly different than today. I am baffled at how he didn't pass out in the Gobi desert from the lack of nutrition and die. For aid he entirely relied on the hospitality of strangers and towns roughly a marathon apart.
A second part that was interesting is the attitudes and times of the day. This was a pre-internet era and certainly pre globalism. This was before the Berlin Wall fell and before Tiananmen Square. I felt weird about his trip at certain points when he was repeatedly disregarding the local governments (Gong An Ju) policies to do his run. They were purposefully closed to foreigners and much of the book was spent describing the trouble he got into with them. Maybe I am nonconfrontational and it makes me feel weird, but it left a weird taste in my mouth. Like 'I'm gonna do this run at all costs and ignore all the laws because they're dumb laws anyway'. I dunno.
Thirdly, I thought it was gross and kinda funny when he describes how sick he gets one time, but how he was afforded no privacy. He was spewing out both ends and there were villagers just peeking into his room through the window haha.
Fourth, I didn't expect this to be a love story! Imagine that today "I was going for the Appalachian Trail FKT when I met my spouse". Its a fun mixture of adventure and athleticism,
I enjoyed it, I don't think everyone would like it, but it worked well for me.

words:
Baedeker: a travel guidebook, especially one published by the firm founded by Karl Baedeker.
Norland: The Norland was a P&O roll-on/roll-off ferry operating between Kingston upon Hull in Yorkshire, UK, and Rotterdam Europoort, Netherlands, and then Zeebrugge, Belgium
Castellated: having battlements
Prospectus: a printed document that advertises or describes a school, commercial enterprise, forthcoming book, etc., in order to attract or inform clients, members, buyers, or investors.
Billeted: lodge (soldiers) in a particular place, especially a civilian's house or other nonmilitary facility.
Loess: a loosely compacted yellowish-gray deposit of windblown sediment of which extensive deposits occur, e.g., in eastern China and the American Midwest.
Fray bentos: The Fray Bentos food brand is associated with tinned processed meat products, originally corned beef and, latterly, meat pies. The brand has been sold in the United Kingdom, other European countries, and Australia.
Acme: the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful.

[elizabeth]

My Grandfather is the Reverend JP Macmillan...so very proud of him that I am now starting a tutoring business named after him. SassyMac Schooling. He always called my mother 'Sas' after the drink Sasperilla....and so there is now something else named after him! He was an incredible man and a true inspiration. He was also a terribly naughty school boy himself!

[Leighann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. My husband went on a tour with him and said the tour was excellent. This book is his story as the first non-chinese to run the entire length of the known Great Wall.

[Jaewookkkkk Kim]

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